


Listening

by ScatterbrainedLittleSweetheart



Category: Dimension 20 (Web Series)
Genre: I actually think this is hurt/comfort but Im not sure, Light Angst, i wrote this late at night and I recommend you read it like that too, told entirely through phone calls
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-24
Updated: 2020-11-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:28:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,419
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27693434
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScatterbrainedLittleSweetheart/pseuds/ScatterbrainedLittleSweetheart
Summary: A series of phone calls made by Fig to Gilear while she's away on tour. That's it.
Comments: 15
Kudos: 35





	Listening

**Author's Note:**

> Small nice little thing, or at least I hope it is. Maybe it’ll make you feel warm and soft. Wrote most of it late at night so that's why it's like this. Let me write to my strengths, which is dialogue but there somehow ended up being a lot of description in it to, so hidden practice huh? I don't know why I'm writing notes, I just like talking to myself.

“Hey Gilear. We went to this mall and you’ll never guess what they had. It’s this shop totally dedicated to yogurt. Every single shelf is full of yogurt from top to bottom. Heaven right? And they had so many flavors, like weird ones like pickle or shrimp. I didn’t think I could send any to you cause it would expire but Raz discovered a method of using frost to preserve packages so a special treat is coming for you in the next week or so. Of course I sent you the shrimp ones”

“Hey. Last night’s show was amazing. I love every performance but some nights are just..something else. Your singing is coming from a special source, not just your heart but your lungs, your stomach, your throat, the ache in your chest. The song is flowing through your veins and it’s just electrical and it powers the whole crowd. Everyone is on the same wavelength, me, the band, the audience, and that power just loops around in this magical, marvelous cycle. Even though you don’t all know each other you're still connected by this powerful bound that sends vibrations through your whole body, the sort of vibes that can’t and will never be replicated again. It’s like being in another plane, beyond our world, beyond even heaven and hell. I love performing but nights like these? That’s what keeps me going.”

“I saw the pictures from the backyard camping trip you, Fabian and Halirel set up. Cathilda needs to come rescue you soon, she the only brain cell in the household. This is like the third time y’all have almost burnt the manor down. At least you got the chance to introduce them to s’mores. Fabian needs to know they’re are other snacks besides kippers and caviar. God I miss that spoiled bastard.”

“You learn weird things about people when you spend a lot of time with them in a small space. For example, Gorthalax snores. Loudly. And when I complained about it, everyone told me I also snored. I refused to believe it but then they had the nerve to record me while I slept which I guess is proof or something. Also Gorgug and Raz both have a gene that makes cilantro taste like soap to them, which is sad for them but good for me because they gave me their servings of chicken and rice. It’s weird the little things you inherit. I remember when I was little people used to say I look like you, I know I should realize that has no basis now but I don’t think that’s true. I know for a fact I got your eyes, the sort of eyes that get heavy bags underneath them whenever they’re even a little tired and never look directly at you yet you can still they’re taking in every word you say. I couldn’t have gotten them from anyone else.”

“God, press interviews are the worst. Why doesn’t it occur to grown adults that I don’t want to talk about my love life! This is supposed to be about music, not about who I’m kissing. And then they pull this annoying shit like ‘aren’t you glad you get to spend more time with your real family!’ They’re not even subtle about thinking that Gorgug and I never had a real family until I met our bio parents. As if we didn’t spend enough time feeling lonely and resentful for it. I used to hate not having a traditional family but now it’s the best thing to ever happen to me. I honestly know I’m better off with my family being the weird giant web it is. It just means I get love from every corner. I don’t think I want a traditional anything, not lifestyle, career, love life, nothing! And I know I don’t have to. And if those stupid interviewers don’t get that they can eat my ass.” 

“Gorgug is so funny. I told him now that we’re out of the country we can’t count cows anymore, then he pointed to a burger chain and said ‘nuh huh, there’s like a dozen right there.’ I forget that his sense of humor can be so dark sometimes. I wish Fabian had been there. He would’ve come up with some snappy comeback. Or Kristen, she would’ve said something even stupider and we all would’ve laughed even harder. I love Gorgug and Gorthalax and the whole band but I miss the rest of my family. I miss you.”

“During our off time at Belfast City time we went to Town Hall. It’s the most luxurious place I’ve ever been. I felt bad for even touching the air. I remember how you talked about going there as a diplomat and it’s ever more magical than you described. Everything is plated with gold and the walls have those fancy carvings of the weird symbol thingeys and the little naked winged babies. Like everything there shimmers, it makes my poor devilish eyes hurt and your voice echoes like a thousand miles. I’ll tell you a secret though. When no one was looking, Gorgug and I drew the tiniest penis on the big huge fountain in the center of the room. Come on! What’d you expect from your wild child?”

“I saw your comment on my post saying that my horns looked pretty with my outfit. I know it’s not weird for a dad to call his daughter pretty but I remember when my horns first came in and you looked at me like you didn’t recognize me, like some monster had replaced your daughter. I know we don’t like talking about that time but I remember the feeling. I remember hating you so much and feeling like you hated me right back. Looking back, I don’t think either of us hated each other. I think we were scared…I’m sorry. I shouldn’t burden you with this.”

“Guess what we find while going on a nature walk through: deadly nightshade. Remember when mom and us went on a camping trip and I didn’t know any better so I ate the berries and got so sick, Ha, ha, those berries can’t stop me now. You felt so bad about it that you ate the berries as well. Mom got so mad at you. We both had to get our stomachs pumped and then for days afterward we were just stuck on the couch eating nothing but yogurt and watching daytime television. I sometimes wonder why we didn’t go on more family vacations and then I remember shit like that and I’m like ‘oh yeah’” 

“ _Closing time, Open all the doors and let you out into the world, Closing time, Turn all of the lights on over every boy and every girl, Closing time, One last call for alcohol, so finish your whiskey or beer, Closing time, You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here…_ ”

“Sometimes Ayda sends me little trinkets she finds around the library, like a broken watch or an empty locket or a really pretty seashell. I love it. That’s her way of saying I love you. And then at midnight Kristen or Fabian will send me a really funny meme. That’s their way. Mom will send me a text reminding me to drink water or to not trust everyone I meet at a party. Adaine sends me pictures of Boggy in a funny hat or complains about how many tests we have, Riz sends me the notes and assignments I missed, and Jawbone calls and tells me congratulations after every show. They’re all saying I love you. You staying up every night just to hear me talk about nothing, that’s your way.”

“It’s late. I can’t sleep. I’m really tired from performing so often and from traveling so much but I just can’t fall asleep. I feel so alone. Hotel beds are so cold and hard and unlived in. I miss my girlfriend. I miss hearing footsteps of people going to the bathroom or sneaking through the tunnels. I miss my old wrinkled pillow that I’ve had since I was small. I miss hearing Baxter snore outside my window. I remember when I was small, really small and you’d read me this old poetry collection. It was in elvish by ancient wood elves, poems about journing away from home but someday coming back. I was too young to understand but they always put me to sleep. Daddy? Can you read them to me?”


End file.
